It seems like one of the marks of motherhood is to carry around a large bag anywhere and everywhere you go. This bag is very different from the kind a tita carries because it contains all the things a parent needs to stay sane while out with her kids. For as long as I can remember, my mom carried such a bag. Even today, she prides herself for being a Girl Scout who is "laging handa" with a treasure trove of hygiene basics, kikay kits, and multi-tools tucked into her giant purse. Honestly, I hated digging through her purse when she'd ask me to find something because there was just SO MUCH STUFF but it also gave me my first ever lessons in self-care. 

If you've ever considered cutting down on your skincare routine to lessen your environmental impact or to simply minimize your expenses, the Original MakeUp Eraser Makeup Remover Cloth (P999) is probably the most popular option. Featuring a soft polyester blend, the cloth promises to erase all traces of makeup - waterproof mascara included - with just water!

Happy May, PV girls! To help us usher in a new month, this week’s roundup has got a bunch of exciting releases and tantalizing teases just for you! From Kat Von D’s trio of brow products (we’ve been waiting a year for these bad boys) to Pink Sugar’s new counter, this week will have you jumping in your seat! Get ready for FENTY’s possible new shade and Huda Beauty’s gorgeous baby palettes! And did we mention a BUNCH of epic things from MAC? Bring. It. On!

What kind of makeup do you love most? Some people collect eyeshadow palettes, while others are lipstick queens who might own the same shade in different brands and finishes! For me, it has always been about perfecting my face base. I love foundation formulas that I barely tell apart from my skin, both in appearance and feel, so when I first saw rave reviews on Estée Lauder's Double Wear Foundation, I added it on my list of must-try makeup.

When the PV team received the invite for the launch of the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lippies and found the venue was at Yes Please, BGC, we were pretty shocked, to say the least. Laura Mercier has long been a staple for the Titas of Manila, so it was a little jarring to experience the new products in a blacked out, neon-lit bar.

When Happy Skin first launched their Express Gel Polish line last year, it was quite a hit as many swooned over the flattering nude polish that seemed especially picked for Filipina skin. This summer, Happy Skin expanded their shade offerings and teamed up with Havaianas to ensure that our vacays are made better with fashionable sandals and chic nail polish! 

My home and the Project Vanity HQ is stashed with bins and bins of beauty products. It can be quite a challenge to curate sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's what I pick up the most that makes it to my top ten! Seeing as it's Sephora PH site-wide sale season once more, I thought that I'd list down my HGs from the store. Hopefully this serves as a useful guide as you get your haul at 20% (for Gold and Black Members) and 15% (White) off until May 6. Let's go!

My boyfriend James recently acquired an Android phone after having been an iPhone user for years. Every time one of us is abroad, we video chat to keep in touch. The first few video calls I thought “Wow, his skin is so nice lately!” or “What great lighting at his hotel!” But eventually I cottoned on to the fact that his phone just has a crazy good automatic beauty filter. I’ve been an iPhone user for quite a while too and oh, how I envied his camera!

While trendy new products may attract people to a store, getting that up-close and personal testing experience is what leaves a lasting impression for the discerning customer. Clinique expertly combines these two concepts for their latest boutique, located in the new wing of the Rockwell Powerplant Mall. Here's a peek at what's in store!

The age of social media has given birth to an interesting phenomena called "doing it for the 'gram". Whenever we post something - because surely we have to post something - we do it with one eye on how good it will look like on our various feeds. It doesn't matter how uncomfortable or miserable we may be at that time. If the post looks great, and 50 other likes agree with us, then we feel good. We feel important. 

Eyeliner can smell fear, they said, and this is certainly true if you have yet to discover the well of courage deep inside yourself. You need conviction when applying eyeliner especially if you're trying to achieve a classic cat eye! Now it takes a lot of practice and a steady hand as well, but to make it easier for all of us, Revlon has created a pizza cutter eyeliner (that's what it looks like!) to come to the rescue.

Late last year, I wrote about how we PV girls wished we had access to skincare brand Peter Thomas Roth. The beauty gods must have heard our prayers because the brand has finally arrived at our shores! Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skincare believes in using scientifically proven ingredients at effective concentrations. These include glycolic acid and retinol for anti-aging, and hyaluronic acid for attracting moisture to the applied area. The brand also believes in using botanicals and other ingredients found in nature.

"Colorful" would probably be the best word to describe this week’s beauty roundup! With tons of golds, pinks, and bright bold hues, this week has got us saying YASSS with every story! From RuPaul’s up and coming collection, to our very own queen Kris Aquino’s collab with Ever Bilena, you will be happy to know that the summer is looking bright and fabulous! Jimmy Choo will also be hopping on the makeup train, so get on board with the latest news from the beauty world!

I must confess that I get a high from scoring an awesome beauty bargain! This is the main reason I keep coming back to The Face Shop (TFS) stores. They put at least one product on a 1 + 1 promo every month, and it draws me in every time. They’re generous with GWPs, they have a rewards program tied up with Bench, and their character collaborations have wowed us again and again. Of course, their skin care and makeup offerings perform really well for the price!

Who's not guilty of indulging in a little retail therapy when they need some cheering up? I used to love stopping by the Watsons store that was on my route home from work, and picking up some random cheap item: a brow pencil, a lip balm, maybe a bottle of nail polish. Nothing wrong with that but the thrill was often short-lived. I'm a bit wiser about my spending habits these days, so while I still love browsing at Watsons, I've learned to shop for items that actually support my goals for self-care!

I started reading Project Vanity roughly two years ago. At the time, I wasn't an active subscriber - I would only drop by the site every so often but what really hooked me in was the Project Vanity Facebook page and community.  The community posts were interesting and engaging, and I enjoyed Liz's GRWM vids. Occasionally, I would open the links to articles shared from the PV website, but it was only a year or so ago that I found myself opening it habitually.

I have another weird confession to make: I’ve held on to practically every beauty empty I’ve accumulated in the past two years.

Maybe I’ll need to take a photo of it later. Maybe I’ll need to revisit the ingredients or instructions. I have to compare this with newer products for research. I want to share about my empties on Instagram. This packaging is too pretty for the bin. In the past, I’ve always found an excuse to keep holding on to my trash. But enough is enough!

Is it just me or is it getting extra hot in here?! We’re looking at another exciting week for beauty with fresh faces, new drops, and juicy sneak peeks! Estée Lauder has just announced their newest Global Spokesmodel, and we found a teaser of another epic collab with hilarious model Chrissy Teigen. Meanwhile, Kardashian sisters Kim, Kourtney, and Kylie seem to be on a mission to flood us with more makeup this 2018. And if you've ever coveted J.Lo's glow (who hasn't?), you'll be as psyched as we are to hear about her plans for launching a new makeup collection!

At this point in its trendy life, Korean skincare has already established a reputation for being elaborate, famously going into the 10-step territory to recreate that 5-star face care experience at home. It's fascinating for the die-hard skincare junkies but honestly intimidating for beginners and the budget-conscious. After all, there's a very real investment of time, effort, and money into all those steps, but it doesn't mean that being anything less than "extra" means lower quality care. Ra&Gowoori is a K-beauty brand that promises high-quality formulations for the more straightforward set, and it was recently launched in the Philippines.

Waking up early to get ready and perfect your makeup can be quite a chore, so it feels like a complete disaster when your makeup starts sliding off after just 3 hours! Having oily skin can be quite a challenge but you don’t necessarily have to just let your hard work go to waste. A mattifying primer can completely change your makeup game!